Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk executive director Joe Moller spent Tuesday afternoon multi-tasking with urgency. While handling phone calls and e-mails--at the same time-- he was reaching out to those who agreed to help pay the incoming bill that reimburses the city for services related to the once-a-month event.

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"We are rallying the troops," said Moller of his new partnerships that include food truck vendors in separate lots, the Medallion, The Alexandria, and Art Walk Park. "To be part of Art Walk, under a master permit, they can take advantage of the non-commercial exemptions."

By being sheltered under an umbrella of the Art Walk's non-profit status, the costs are much lower than a commercial event and exempt from footing the bill for certain items, such as LAPD's services, explained Ana E. Cubas, Chief of Staff for Council District 14. "They [Art Walk and vendors] decided to file for applications together, then negotiate how the cost is split up."

"A share would be more expensive if a vendor applied as a commercial event," added Cubas, who oversaw the Task Force that informed the tab would reach up to $8,700 per month. "It's fair to ask those who benefit from Art Walk to [help] pay for the cost.'

If not for Art Walk's non-profit status, and declared as a City-wide event, the total cost could have reached $15,000, not counting LAPD (which for a commercial event of this size could run up to $25,000) she said. "It came with the parameters how to keep the event cost effective, and answer safety factors," said Cubas, suggesting there may be ways the bill can be reduced for future Art Walks.

The Task Force, assigned by the offices of Jose Huizar's 14th District and Jan Perry's 9th District, have been meeting with Art Walk and other event administrators in a series of meetings from July to as recently as last week.

The Task Force was created in response to a fatal collision that occurred during the July 2011 Art Walk.

Downtown Art Walk met with vendors and developers as late as Monday, said Moller, in anticipation that council would pass the Task Force recommendations that event organizers file for a special events permit.

The City Council approved the recommendation Tuesday, days before the October 13th event, and included a prohibition of live entertainment and DJs.

Both District offices, and Art Walk, hope the costs do not end the monthly event that draws an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 to Downtown's Historic Core and Gallery Row.

Yet at this writing, the only confirmed funds have come from Councilwoman Jan Perry, who allocated $2,200 to October 2011 Art Walk.

While she praises the Task Force finding ways to ensure safety, she told KCET, "I do, however, understand that with these new regulations comes a new price tag... It is important that we support this grassroots community event and give them the time to create a plan for financing the event for the future. Art Walk is an important part of downtown Los Angeles."

The next Art Walk is Thursday, Oct. 13, and yes, there is still some art to be seen.

Art Walk Lounge: Since the non-profit isn't busy enough bringing all stakeholders together to keep Art Walk sustainable, they will pass out maps for the self-guided tour of galleries; plus host the lounge and feature work commissioned to bring awareness for World Sight Day.
Art Walk Lounge I 634 S. Spring

• • •

PROJECT: REMEMBER: Giving soldiers fighting a war in Afghanistan a voice is the goal of street artist LEBA, who first planned to release balloons tagged with a name of a fallen solider on Sept. 11. Logistics and permits delayed the project. The artist and organizers then worked with the city to secure a new day and time, says spokesperson J.B. Jones, adding "It was LAPD who recommended Art Walk night."

It happens this week. LEBA will lead volunteers releasing 1,700 balloons from five Downtown rooftops between 7:30 and 8:15pm. LEBA, who prefers to be known as a street activist, is part of the growing street art subculture that deploys social messages in their work; or in this case balloons.

In conjunction with the project, The Loft Salon will host a fundraiser to benefit wounded soldiers by selling works by LEBA, Destroy All Design, Mear One, Dog Byte, Gregory Siff, Desire Obtain Cherish, Mar, Zombie and John Carr of YO PEACE.
The Loft Salon in The Santa Fe Lofts I 560 S. Main

• • •

URBNLUX: Graffiti For Life has Crewest founder Man One collaborate with industrial designers, architects, and manufacturers. He will exhibit new paintings that show how the varied disciplines and graffiti art influence the "aesthetic sensibilities" in each other.

Crewest Gallery I 110 Winston

• • •

Moving Violations: Rex Bruce also goes solo in his gallery with a moving version of street photography, an exhibition of videos and stills are the "result of a specialization in recording imagery from within vehicles." As the artist-photographer says: "Rushing across the freeways during the day and night, rain or shine the artist takes us on a super-sonic wild ride." At the least, it made his ride back and forth from the desert to the city more than a routine commute.

Los Angeles Center for Digital Art I 102 W 5th

• • •

Scratching the Surface is the current group show at DAC Gallery, and exhibition featuring ceramic work that has artist's identity seen in every "fold, scratch, and tear." Opening reception during Art Walk from 7 to 9pm.
Downtown Art Center Gallery I 828 S. Main

• • •

Scenes From The Street From neon lights to desert stillness, Mark Peacock practices street photography in all of Southern California 's landscape
The Edison I 215 W 9th

• • •

Empty Lines is the first show of the season for L2kontemporary Gallery, and another chance to view new work by Gronk.
L2 Kontempory I 990 N. Hill

Returning: Tony Dominguez, along with La Muerte Vive, will be at Art Walk with his giant Day of the Dead Paper Mache sculptures. This time, it is a teaser for his 1st Annual Holiday "Rock Opera" Cabaret Show that will be mounted at Million Dollar Theatre Nov. 2, casting new giant sculptures built to be performing puppets.

• • •

Tangible Growth in Metal Sculpture has dialect gallery host the first solo exhibition for Shira Loa and her "illuminated dioramas" composed of original metallic organic forms. "It's my own kind of botany, with its references known and unknown," says Loa in her artists statement. Artists reception during Art Walk from 5 to 11pm
dialect I 215 W. 6th

• • •

LA5: Sculpture That Shaped The City features Los Angeles-based artists working in the region since 1965 (and who are taking part in the citywide Pacific Standard Time). Guy Dill, Lloyd Hamrol, Peter Shire, Michael Todd, and Robert Williams will show in South Park through November 12
PYO Gallery LA I 1100 S. Hope

• • •

Open House is the functional name for Terrell Moore's Art Walk 3 to 11 pm offering, also in South Park. He is featuring Abstract Expressionist painter Chana Messer's "comforting and soulful" works in oil, acrylic, and mixed media.
Terrell Moore Gallery I 1221 S. Hope

MAKE A DAY OF IT: REDCAT has first major solo exhibition in the U.S. for Los Angeles-based artist Erlea Maneros Zabala (631 W 2nd); MOCA's Under the big black sun runs at the The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (152 N. Central); Plus, at the GRAMMY Museum (800 W. Olympic), it is opening week for "Living in the Material World," the first museum exhibition on the life and music of George Harrison.
Photo: I ART U Exhibition at The Medallion, August 2011 Art Walk Sterling Davis

About the Author

Ed Fuentes is an arts journalist, photographer, graphic designer, and digital muralist who covers a variety of topics and geographies in Southern California for KCET.
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LOVE the art in the photo! He won't be at Art Walk this week, though he's usually at the Medallion. But you can find him (Joel Harris) at www.joelharrisstudio.org
Keep supporting the arts, LA! We Love DTLA Art Walk!

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